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Cards In This Set
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Why does it seem inevitable that a theory of evolution would be proposed and accepted in the mid-19th century? How did the zeitgeist influence the success of Darwin's ideas.
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- enlightenment
- "species problem" - Zeitgeist - speculations about evolution not new - Darwin's contribution |
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Challenges of the "species problem"
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- why did some species seem to dissapear, their existence only known through fossils?
- why did some living animals seem to be structually similar yet not the same as the fossils? - And for those accepting the literal truth of the Bible, how did all these species fit on the Ark? |
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Darwin's theory of evolution
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- mechanism is natural selection
- three elements: 1. the occurence of random variation 2. the struggle for survival 3. the survival of the fittest fitness DOES NOT equal agression/strength/competitveness evolution DOES NOT equal progress or purpose |
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Explain how the study of bird beaks supports evolutionary theory
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Example of Natural Selection
- severe drought conditions: reduced food supply to tough spiky seeds - only birds with thick beaks could break open seeds - in next generation, beaks 4-5% larger - then, heavy storms and floods struck islands: tiny seeds now major source of nourishment - In next generation, break size measurably smaller |
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In what way did Darwin's data and ideas alter the subject matter and methods of psychology?
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1. Focus on animal psychology
- traditional: descartes - notion of continuity of species - comparative psychology 2. Focus on functions of consciouness - traditional: detailed investigate of mental elements - notion of adaptive features - functionalism 3. Acceptance of new methodologies & data - traditional: introspection - darwin considered data from a variety of sources - electicism 4. Focus on individual differences - traditional: general laws encompassing all minds - notion of variation - discovery, description, & measurment of difference |
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Describe Galton's research on hereditary genius
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Hereditary Genius (1869)
- intelligence = sensory acuity - individual greatness occurs within families - conducted biographical studies - found support - lead to formation of eugenics improving inherited qualities of the human race through selective breeding |
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How did Galton test for intelligence?
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Intelligence
- matter of sensory aquity: higher intelligence, higher level of sensory functioning - invented appartatus to assess sensory acuity and moter skills quickly & accurately from large numbers of people, 17 tests - In 1884, esablished the Anthropometric laboratory, collected data from over 9000 people |
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Desribe anecdotal method and method of introspection by anaolgy. What was Romane's mental ladder?
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Mental Ladder
- array of the various animal species in the order of the degree of their mental functioning (ties with darwin, illustrating the continuity of mental development) Anecdotal Method - use casual observational reports of narratives about animal behavior ( uncritical, untrained observers) Introspection by Analogy - study animal behavior by assuming same mental processes in humans and animals ( anthropomorphism) |
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How to Lloyd Morgan limit the use of introspection by analogy?
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Law of Parsimony ( Morgan's Canon)
- animal behavior mustn't be attributed to higher mental process when it can be explained in terms of lower mental process - proposed to counteract prevailing tendency to attribute excessive intelligence to animals ex scorpians |
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Describe Herbert Spencer's notion of Social Darwinism
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- evolution had a purpose: meant progress
- synthetic philosophy Social Darwinism - evoltuionary principles applied to societies - "survival of the fittest" - if no intervention, human perfection is inevitable |
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Why was the United States so receptive to Spencer's ideas about Social Darwinism?
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American Zeitgeist
- individualistic spirit - capitalistic, practical, useful, functional - Spencer became celebrity is US |
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Why was William James considered to be the most important American psychologist? Describe his attitude toward laboratory work
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- survey of historians
( seconds only to Wundt) - psychology not his life-long passion - Why so popular? 1. writing style (wrote with clearness) 2. congruent with American Zeitgest (alternative) |
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What methods did James consider appropriote for the study of consciouness? What was the value of pragmatism for the new psychology?
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Introspection:
- must accept as a basic method - less-than-perfect form of observation Experimental Method: - acknowleged as important (didn't think was worth it for data received) Comparative Method - pscyhological functioning of differeent populations - uncover meaningful variations in mental life - Pragmatism (practical consiquences, alternative methods) & Electricism (wide range) |
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In what way's did Titchener contribute to the founding of functional psychology
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Edward Titchener
- " The Postulates of Structural Psychology" (1898) - structuralism vs. functionalsim He refuted functionalism in his writings, and therefore gave the movement a name and attention |
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In what way's did John Dewey contribute to the founding of functional psychology
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John Dewey
- " The reflex arc concept in psychology" (1896) - attacked psychological elementism - S -> Idea -> R meaningful onlt as unit in context adaptive value |
